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Biden Busts His Own Buzz

By Kate Phillips August 19, 2008 7:32 pmAugust 19, 2008 7:32 pm

Take this for what it’s worth, and have a laugh alongside it.

For much of the past two days or so, ever since Senator Joe Biden, chairman of the Foreign Relations Committee, traveled to the conflict-ridden “tiny democracy” of Georgia, his name has somehow risen above the top-tier possible choices as one of the most likely picks as the running mate for Senator Barack Obama. Not that he hadn’t been there before. But in the last 24 hours, the possibility had become more palpable in the rumor department. He does offer up his foreign policy credentials and is a Catholic whose heartfelt personal story we all came to know on the campaign trail of the primary season. He’s also known for his candid — and quite unpredictable — assessments along the trail.

Speculation — granted, among journalists more than the voting public, at this point — is rampant about the most likely suspect for the No. 2 slot on the Democratic ticket. The timing is all atwitter, with Mr. Obama now scheduling a big Saturday event at the very same place in Springfield, Ill., reminiscent of Abe Lincoln, where the Illinois senator began his march toward the Democratic nomination.

But today, ABC News, was among those on a stakeout at Mr. Biden’s home in Wilmington, Del., and as he climbed into the driver’s seat of a white, very serious pickup truck, the casually dressed senator seemed to peek out the driver’s side window to give a little statement to the cameras gathered: “Hey guys, I’m not the guy. See ya.” The video, showing Mr. Biden in a ball cap and talking from the cab of the truck is here, and is just amusing in its own sphere.

Howard Fineman of Newsweek magazine today talked up “the guy.” Our own John Broder profiled the prospects of Mr. Biden earlier this week, scoping out the pros and cons.

Senator Biden may not be “the guy.” But then, who is? Senator Obama travels tomorrow to Virginia, one of those states he’d love to take in the general election to garner a kind of firewall against some middle-country ones like, maybe Ohio or Pennsylvania, where he could lose. Virginia Gov. Tim Kaine’s name is still out there as a possible mate. But who knows now?

It’s still a big guessing game. And that type of suspense is what the Obama campaign wants to keep building before the big announcement. It’s soon, we’re told.

An earlier version of this post misstated Mr. Fineman’s affiliation. He’s with Newsweek, not Time, magazine.

So it is a GUY. That’s disappointing. We’re heading into the dirtiest campaign in history. The personal attacks started in the primary and haven’t stopped. The snarky ads and websites have been over the top and out of control. The lack of integrity has been stunning. And now we find out that in this year that was so promising for breaking the ultimate glass ceiling and having a new kind of administration, we’re stuck with the old boys club (with the addition of another Harvard snob frat boy).

Obama needs an anti-abortion candidate to counter his extreme views on allowing babies born alive to be left for dead.

In 2000, Congress took up legislation to make it clear that infants born alive after abortions are persons under the law. The National Abortion and Reproductive Rights Action League opposed the bill as an assault on Roe, but it passed the House 380-15. Back in the Illinois state Senate in 2001, Obama spoke out against and voted “present” — effectively “no” — on a similar bill, aligning himself with the tiny pro-abortion rump of 15 congressmen.

In 2002, Congress considered the legislation again, this time adding a “neutrality clause” specifying that it didn’t affect Roe one way or another. The bill passed without any dissenting votes in the House or the Senate and was signed into law. In 2003 in Illinois, Obama still opposed a state version of the law. He long claimed that he voted against it because it didn’t have the same “neutrality clause” as the federal version. But the National Right to Life Committee has unearthed documents showing that the Illinois bill was amended to include such a clause, and Obama voted to kill it anyway.

Confronted about this on CBN, he said the pro-life group was lying. But his campaign has now admitted that he had the legislative history wrong. Obama either didn’t know his own record, or was so accustomed to shrouding it in dishonesty that it had become second nature.

I am loving this!!! The press is getting a dose of their own mockery medicine….I am starting to think all the rift btw him and hillary is cooked…throwing everybody off….watch out for the O-H campaign it’s going to be fabulous cause the state that would determine the presidency starts with OH

Too bad–now Biden won’t be able to plagiarize any more speeches–the phoney that he is. I hope it is Hillary, so I can see some infighting between Hillary and Michelle, and throw in a sprinkle of Pelosi, and we will see how dysfunctional the Democrats really are. No matter who he picks, Obama will still lose.

As much as I don’t like it, this is what it has come to. Obama needs Mrs. Clinton to mitigate the biased reports from the MSM. It is better to have Obama-Clinton than John McCain and anybody.

It has become apparent that the Obama supporters who do not like Mrs. Clinton, would rather vote for her on the ticket than to see Obama lose to John McCain. Obama would find it difficult to win without the support of all Democrats. And the Clinton support is very significant.

Let us swallow our pride, put some sugar in our mouth to
offset some of the bitterness from the Clinton campaign
and hope that the two can run together and govern together.

This guy ran for the President so many times and lost that I am not surprised that he does not want to be the second fiddle. Think about exchanging lifetime job of a US Senator from a tiny state where 100,000 votes does it, for the White House where everybody is on your case. Why bother? You are the men Biden. Comfort above all.

By this time tomorrow we should know. No point speculating about it or passing untrue rumours. Barack Obama needs someone to balance the ticket, will be easy to work with, will be acceptable by the voters, will not controversial and will counter whatever John McCain comes up with for his VP.

The choice of VP can make or break eithe rof the candidates; only time will tell.

Biden will bring foreign policy experience to the ticket. I hate to say it but a lot of people are afraid of Barack Obama. I’m voting for him and I hope others do to. But, I don’t think the “right wing”, guys like Bill O’Reilly, Sean Hannity, Rush Limbaugh and Jerome Corsi will let him make it to inauguration day. McCain and his red neck buddies in the South are just itching for the rebirth of the “clan” and are crazy enough, with the backing of the above mentioned to prevent him “at all cost” from assuming the office. That’s the “Republican mentality”.

Anybody else annoyed by all the “suspense”? Obama should have asked Hillary two months ago. I would bet my last dollar he would be up 15% in the national polls right now, and ahead rather than behind in OH, IN, FLA…

If Obama is elected, Hillary would be more useful as a Supreme Court nominee. That appointment would be beneficial to the whole United States, someone who would prosecute the U.S.attorneys,scrap the Patriot Act(with the help of congress of course) and restore the meaning of the constitution to the founders intentions. It would also be helpful if an election was again decided by the courts. Stop John McCain.

President Obama drew criticism on Thursday when he said, “we don’t have a strategy yet,” for military action against ISIS in Syria. Lawmakers will weigh in on Mr. Obama’s comments on the Sunday shows.Read more…